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An 11-acre grass fire near Weed is contained

Alamogordo Daily NewsBy Duane Barbati, Staff Writer

Posted:
03/05/2013 09:53:44 PM MST

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U.S. Forest Service and Sacramento-Weed firefighters and Otero County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to an 11-acre grass fire on state Highway 24 near Mile Marker 7 Tuesday. The fire was started by a man welding on his fence line.

The 11-acre grass fire just south of Weed on state Highway 24 near mile marker 7 was contained Tuesday afternoon, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman said.

Firefighter Tony McWilliams said the fire was caused by a man welding on the fence line located on private property.

"We had U.S. Forest Service firefighters, Otero County Sheriff's deputies and Sacramento-Weed Volunteer Fire Department respond to the fire around 12:07 p.m.," McWilliams said. "It's contained. We had no injuries or structures damaged. The lighter winds and cooler temperatures helped us out a lot."

He said the fire started on the fence line then went out into the field.

"With the dry conditions, people should be extra cautious," McWilliams said. "We've had almost no moisture (rainfall or snowfall) this winter. Dry and fire season is upon us already. It's here. We had the red-flag warnings yesterday (Monday). If it would have happened yesterday (Monday), we would have been in a different situation. People need to start thinking about fire safety."

Otero County emergency services coordinator Paul Quairoli said the fire was a slow-creeping grass fire.

"It was contained within an hour and a half," Quairoli said. "It was originally about an acre fire, but it grew from when it was originally reported, to an 11-acre fire until crews got to the area and contained the fire."

He said it's very dry in Otero County.

"There are no burn bans or restrictions in place right now at the county, state or forest service level," Quairoli said.

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"However, it is really dry. Temperatures are starting to come up. Of course, we're starting to come into the windy season. With all those things kind of combined, it starts to give us the threat of larger fires or easier ignitions."

He said people need to be aware of weather conditions and their surroundings.

"If they're going to be doing controlled burns. It's not a problem," Quairoli said. "People do need to call authorities and notify them of a controlled burn. Precautions need to be taken with a controlled burn so they comply with the county-controlled burn ordinance."

According to the National Weather Service website, Alamogordo has had .07 inches of rain and snowfall for November, .08 inches for December, .02 inches for January and .01 inches for February.

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